


Meant To Be

by AloneShadow



Category: Captain America (Movies), Iron Man (Movies), The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: A -What if- kind of fic, Confused Steve, Epic Friendship, I Don't Even Know, Pre-Avengers (2012), Tony is not lucky, caring Tony, different first meeting, how do I tag this?, imagining missing scene, just-woke-up Steve
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-05
Updated: 2017-08-05
Packaged: 2018-12-11 11:41:58
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,397
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11713701
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AloneShadow/pseuds/AloneShadow
Summary: OR: what would've happened if after waking up in the fake room, Steve decided to run away and no one was actually able to stop him.





	Meant To Be

**Author's Note:**

> Since is so hot here in Italy that the only way to survive is dragging the ventilator around with you, I sat down and edit this old fic with the fan a TORNADO-level of power.  
> Also, I missed my main ship too much to ignore this old story.

_Run_. The only thing he could think about was running, just like the first time but… The first time was different, _he_ was different. That time he could feel the power pumping into his veins, energy bolting through his body: he was different because of the serum.

This time wasn’t about him: the world itself wasn’t like he remembered it anymore. The world… that world had suddenly changed and he had no idea of how and when: the chaos, the noises, the screams; cars everywhere, building disappearing straight into the sky above. 

Hordes of people walking around him, someone looking at him for a second, but no one really meeting his eyes. The people were also different, their clothes, the colors, so many weird- new styles… everything was different and if he had felt as a super soldier in a world that couldn’t keep up with him in the past, now he was sure to be the one struggling to keep up with it. 

What he missed? How much? What happened after the crash?

Steve stopped after another corner for a moment, hands on his knees, shoulder going up and down fast and tense. He stared at the SSR logo on the white t-shirt he was wearing and asked himself who dressed him like that… who took care of him for so long? In what kind of care he was kept?

He shook his head to keep away all the questions that were ready to make him scream. 

_Captain Rogers_. That woman called him Captain Rogers, so they knew who he was… and she was so similar to Peggy- but she wasn’t her. Everything in that room was fake and if that woman wasn’t creepy enough to convince him to run away, the soldiers that crashed in a moment later left no doubts that something wasn’t right. 

Something? Scratch that and change it with everything. 

Steve straight his back and looked up, walking to a fence. From there, he stared at the city in front of him, feeling even more lost. He looked down and took a journal from a bench: New York – 2012.

He blinked and blew out the breath he didn’t even notice he was keeping. Reading the words again and again, he then looked around feeling more confused and alone than he ever felt before. 

Almost seventy years. Seventy years of his life lost and he didn’t even know why or how or- 

Well, the _why_ was clear: the last thing he remembered was crashing a plane into the Arctic… but apparently, he hasn't died there. Not dead, so- what then?

Steve grabbed tightly the journal before hearing sirens echoing from the streets behind him. He turned and took a deep breath, start running again while the sky was slowly getting darker. 

 

After some meters, Steve forced himself to fast-walk through the mass of people on the sidewalks; he kept looking around until he saw some black cars moving slowly on the road next to him… way too slow. 

He narrowed his eyes and entered the first door he found open: he froze and stared at multiple, gigantic, busy floors full of shops of every kind, looking up in surprise at the army of people walking everywhere under strong lights.

Steve sighed, then saw men in black suit looking around from another entrance... probably the same people that put him in that room before he woke up. He stared at them from behind a pillar, unsure, then he turned around, laying his back against the cold stone: what choice did he have? He knew nothing of this world, he just woke up after seventy years, maybe those people could help him… maybe they had all the answer he needed. And getting some answer was the only way for him to not go crazy.

He moved to reach them- and stopped again: some of them were hiding guns, but he saw others with something in hands, like little boxes, taking some kind of syringe out of it, before put them under the jacket. 

Steve took a step back, face hard. He couldn’t trust them... Not yet.

The agents talked to someone on their coms and suddenly looked in his direction. 

Steve sighed and ran away, up through the stairs, then up again, hearing people screaming and multiple steps following him. 

He quickly reached the last floor, looking frantically around before sprinting to the banister of the floor, looking down at the at least twenty men running around the rounded floors to reach him. He looked on the other side of the floor and noticed an elevator. Steve took a breath and ran again all around the floor, before stop when one of the agents appeared from one of the stairs: he pushed him away, finding other men some meters ahead blocking the way.

“Captain Rogers, please,” the agent said, out of breath, “we just want to help you.” 

“Not sure about that,” Steve commented. His own voice sounded a bit raspy. 

“We’re not enemies.” Said another one, moving closer, slowly, while the civilians were quickly searching for cover inside the shops, “Running away it won’t help you.” 

“And you will?” 

“Yes.” 

Steve stayed still, noticing the men behind himself and those close to him with hands under their jacket… ready with those damn syringes. He shook slowly his head, “No offense, but I doubt it.” That said, he jumped over the banister, landing down on the big chandelier in the middle of the ceiling and, eyes on the elevator, he jumped again, grabbing the barrier on the other side, hopping back on the floor. One last sprint into the gray cabin and the men running for him was the last thing he saw before the doors closed. 

Steve looked at the button and pressed to the top floor, hoping for some emergency stairs to use.  
The doors opened again and the cold wind welcomed him back outside.

Despite all, Steve breathed slowly and deep for a moment, looking around himself before running to the edges of the top floor: no stairs anywhere. 

“Damn it...” Steve couldn’t find anything useful there and the elevator showed him that someone was coming up. He looked down, staring at one tree that was maybe three floors below from him. Was that, or a risky jump to reach a balcony on the building in front of him… at least a seven meters jump. 

Then something caught his attention: a gigantic building in the distance, with a big word on the front… and the word was Stark. 

Steve frowned a moment, then blinked and looked back at the balcony, “Alright...” He whispered to himself, walking backward before sprinting at full speed ahead, jumping from the edge- and suddenly it was clear that he wasn’t going to make it to the balcony. 

All his worries came to a halt, though, when something hit him mid-air and he felt a flash of pain on his side before falling down and get caught from something again, almost falling one more time. Luckily for him, in the end, instead of hitting the concrete, there was only cold wind against his face. 

“Damn it- flying is not for everyone for a reason! What the hell!” 

Steve heard the metallic voice but opening his eyes, he only saw the city kilometers down below. He gasped and started moving to grasp the arms that were holding him under his. 

“Hey- hey, calm down- I’m not gonna let you fall!” the metallic voice said, “Hold on, we’re almost there.” 

“There where?” Steve asked looking nervously at the buildings around him, then up and he regretted doing it: some kind of strange, red, robotic _man_ was holding him, and the mask with those bright white eyes… was he dreaming? Maybe he was actually dead, this time… 

The mask looked down at him. The helmet seemed to tilt aside then a half-scared, half-surprised voice came from it, “You’re…?”

Steve frowned, that voice was metallic, yet somehow… familiar? “Do I know you?” 

“HOLYSHI-!” The robot yelled and suddenly let him go. 

Steve fell down, but actually found solid ground under his feet, on which he rolled a couple of time before he stopped. He heard a crash and instinctively looked up: the robotic thing had crashed against the wall- the wall on the top floor of a gigantic building. 

Steve slowly get up in the wind, noticing big glass walls through he could see a big apartment. He then looked at the strange, red armor and walked slowly closer to it, hearing something beeping. He crouched on one knee but fall back when the thing suddenly started to move. He stood up fast, looking only for a moment at the robot that groaned trying to move, before running inside the building: the apartment seemed unfinished, half-empty if it wasn’t for a minibar, a sofa next to it and some desks with machines on it. Machines that he saw in the past, something that sure Howard would’ve known how to use.

Steve saw the robot standing outside, so when he spotted a door, he ran for it, finding a long stairway. Sighing, he started to descend floor after floor until, opening another door, at least seven men stopped his escape, guns pointed at him. 

“Hands up!” 

“Don’t move!” 

Steve heard them yelling, looking at the entrance of the building just behind them: outside, he could see the road. He was so close... 

“I said hands up!” screamed again one of them. 

Steve saw the different suit they were wearing, and slowly raised his hands, ready to sprint and- 

The elevator not far from him suddenly opened with a calm _ding_ and everyone looked at it. 

The red robot came out from it, limping a bit, “It’s ok guys. Nothing to worry about.” 

“But, sir-“ 

“Everyone, please, guns down.” He said again, “Now, if you don’t mind.” 

The agents looked at each other and then lowered the weapons.

“Just a fabulous entrance, not really my best one, but that happens. He’s with me.” Said the red armor, gesturing at the Steve that frowned, but slowly lowered his arms. 

He saw the robot get closer to one of the men, talking to him, then most of them left. 

“Alright. Now…” the robot turned to him again, “You have two choices: running away- and you can do that, no one here will stop you, exit’s right there… or you can give both of us a moment to understand what the hell is happening because- I don’t know about you, but I really need that moment.” 

Steve breathed deeply, looking outside. Probably those men were still searching for him... so he looked back at the robot and nodded. 

“Good. Come on.” The robot entered the elevator again, waiting for him to follow and then they both were back on the top floor. 

Steve looked at the red, shiny metal the whole time, noting his limping while walking to one of the tables, and frowned again, wondering if robots could feel pain.

“What’s that creepy face?” 

Steve looked back at the white bright eyes, “Never saw a robot like this before.” 

“Robot…?” 

“I saw something similar in a movie but…” Steve moved closer to it, studying every detail, then he saw a hand moving to him, as an offer of peace. He huffed a smile and grabbed it- just to jump back when it slid away from the rest of the body. 

“Huh- usually that shouldn’t happen…” 

Steve looked in terror at the metallic hand he was keeping, then blinked at the half of an arm he saw in its place: a human arm. He looked up again. “You’re... not a robot.”

“Not yet.” The other shrugged, “In my defense, you didn’t give me time to explain.” He said, watching him left the piece of armor on the desk. “So, what happened to you? Why you were jumping from that building?” 

“Usually the first thing you ask a stranger is the name.” Steve commented staring cautiously at him, “Unless you already know that.” 

The other nodded slowly, “Yeah. I know who you are, but-“ he added fast, watching him taking a step back, “the reason to that is right above your head.” 

Steve was ready to leave, then saw him point a finger above. Slowly, he followed and blinked in surprise: there was a gigantic paint on the wall saying STARK INDUSTRIES. He turned back to the other and almost had a heart attack when, taking off the helmet, an almost perfect copy of Howard Stark was suddenly in front of him. 

“Hitting a wall is never nice as I hope.” Huffed the man, his short dark hair all messy and a cut above one eye, some stain of blood on the skin. He looked at him and smiled with a nod, “Yeah, I made that same face five minutes ago.” 

Steve was about to say something, but stop himself and changed it to “You’re… you’re related to Howard Stark?”

“I’m his son.” 

“Howard’ son…” Steve breathed out, sounding almost relieved. 

“In flesh and bones, even if didn’t seem that way.” The other said, looking down at his armor and then raise his hand again- the human hand, “Tony Stark. Welcome back, Captain.” 

“It’s- call me Steve.” He said, grabbing the hand, “I was trying to come here. I saw the Stark logo on the building but I was- people were chasing me so-“ 

“Ok ok, one thing at the time. I really need you to answer to… three questions.” Tony said and the other nodded, “One: from where did you come out?” 

The soldier shook his head, “I just woke up in a room- a fake hospital room. A strange woman was there, and then those agents came in…” 

“Alright… Second: why you ran away?” 

Steve looked at him, fighting the urge to say that he couldn’t trust anyone, that the only people that tried to talk to him so far looked interested only to capture him. “They don’t look very friendly.” 

Tony stared silently at him for a long moment.

Steve looked down, then outside and said, “Maybe follow you here wasn’t a good idea… even if you’re Howard’s son. I don’t want to put you into this.”

“I’m already into it, don’t worry, but-“ 

“Mister Stark.” 

Steve jumped at the new voice coming from somewhere above them. 

“Yes JARVIS?” 

“Who’s Jarvis?” the soldier looked tensely at him. 

“Director Fury on the call.” 

“What did he want?” 

“It seems that Captain Rogers escaped the facility he was kept in.”

Steve blinked and sent a quick, cold glare against him. 

“Tell him I can’t answer right now.” Tony said while taking off the rest of the armor, “Tell him I’m- I don’t know, somewhere else around the world.” 

Steve was ready to run, but a part of him still wanted to understand what was going on, “Who’s Fury?” 

“He will know if Iron Man is in town, sir.” 

“We can always hope.” 

“You’re part of it too, aren’t you?” Steve said. 

“I need to prepare your car, sir?” 

“Probably. And call Pep, we’ll need to-“ 

“Answer me.” Steve’s voice boomed in the room like an earthquake, blue eyes hard and ready to punch him in the face.

“You answer me. Third question: you need to leave the town?” Tony asked back, looking straight at him, now in black trousers and a long sleeve shirt, and saw him hesitate, “Because I can help you with that. Yeah, I know everything about you and I know Fury but I don’t work for him. Even if they’re not that smart, they can become a pain in the ass- and I mean in my ass at the moment, so you want to leave or talk to them?” 

“What kind of question is that? How- how am I supposed to trust anyone right now?” 

“Because you’re Captain America?” Tony said with a shrug, “It’s confusing, I know, that’s why I’m asking you what you want to do. I can give you some time, or-“ 

“Or you could just give me to them.” 

Tony looked straight at him, passing a hand under his nose, “Yeah, I can do that too. If that’s what you want.” 

Steve studied him for a moment, then looked at the city slowly being drowned into the night. He sighed and asked sadly, “Where else I could go?”

“In general? I can send you whenever you want. The quickest choice at the moment? Pepper’s apartment.”

Steve frowned, blinking in silence.

“This is the future, but sent you on the other side of the world is still gonna take some time. Instead, we can be in that apartment in twenty minutes.” Tony grabbed something from his pocket, then looked at him, waiting, “Sounds good for now?” 

Captain America took a deep breath and nodded slowly, “Good enough.” 

 

Steve didn’t know exactly what happened after that: he was awake, he was present and talking but- everything was so unreal. Everything was so _different_ and he felt as if he was just watching himself living the moment.

Tony Stark probably notice it because driving through the city, he asked, “Still with me, Rogers?” 

Steve looked away from the window, “What? Yeah. Yeah… I think.”

“You’ll be better when we’ll get there.” 

He nodded, “Just… call me Steve. I was Rogers on the battlefield.” 

Tony nodded, looking at him just for a second. After a bit, he said, “Here we are.” 

The car stopped in front of a big, high building on a nice, less busy zone of the city, with trees all over the long street. “You sure we can use your friend’s apartment?” 

“I warned her, don’t worry,” Tony said walking to the entrance, keeping the glass door open for him. 

Steve looked at the fancy hall while asking, “You know her that much? I mean… enough to come here with a complete stranger?” 

“First of all, you’re not exactly a stranger. Second, this isn’t actually _her_ apartment… it was my Christmas gift, but she refused it… I like it, so kind of become a hiding spot. When we need one.” 

“And you need to hide often?” 

“Well, I need it now,” Tony said with a grin, stopping on the fifth floor, opening a door at the end of the corridor.

Unlike Steve was thinking, the apartment wasn’t that big: a large living room with an open kitchen on the right, one high but tight window in both zones, and a little corridor on the left, where he could spot two doors. The types of furniture were simple but personal, and the couch in the living room looked very comfortable.

“Come on in. Eat something, drink something, break something, whatever you need.” Tony said disappearing into the corridor and in one of the room.

Steve nodded, looking around, the lights were strangely soft, illuminating everything in a low light and that probably helped him relax a bit. He turned against a television model he never saw before, and before he could get closer, it flashed alive, showing a woman talking about a chase happened into the streets of New York that day… and he recognized the building he escaped from that afternoon.

“Look at the bright side,” Tony said, coming back and throwing the remote on the couch, “most of the people think you were some kind of blonde Jason Bourne.”

Steve looked at him, “Who?” 

“Never mind… just don’t think about it too much.” 

“Don’t think about what? Waking up in the future, being chased like a criminal for no reason or being saved by a robot?” Steve sighed, sitting down on one of the kitchen’s chairs. 

“Ok, that was a stupid thing to say. My bad.” 

Steve looked at him and said worryingly, “I appreciate the help, but they’re going to come after you as well-“ 

“Don’t worry about me.” Tony interrupted, playing with a strange little box in his hands, “I’m out of Fury’s reach.” 

The Captain looked at him for a moment before asked, “So you know this man, Fury…” 

“Kind of. I doubt anyone actually know the man that much.” 

“And he’ll keep searching for me?” 

“You bet you will.” 

“Why?” 

“Well, he-“ Tony looked at him for a second, then again for more time and put the phone away, moving to sit in front of him, “You remember about SSR? It kind of became a thing called S.H.I.E.L.D. now, and Fury is the Director.” 

“So he actually wants to help me?” 

“They find you into the ice. You stayed with them since then.” 

Steve frowned, “If I was with them, why they lied? Why all that show when I woke up?” 

“Pretty lame show, if you ask me, but I guess they wanted to let you adjust before telling you about being back after a seventy years nap.” 

Steve sighed, passing both hands over his face. He then stared tiredly at him, “So Howard still works there? And you too?” 

“No. Howard’s dead.” Tony said and saw him froze for a moment, “Car accident.” He added. 

“Oh… I’m sorry.” 

“Don’t be. You just need to catch up. But yeah, he kept working for them. I don’t. Not really. It’s more like a part-time hobby. I just help them with some… stuff.” 

“Stuff.” Steve repeated, “And I was part of that _stuff_? That’s why you knew about me?” 

Tony studied him for a second, but the soldier’s face showed nothing. “They called me to help in your rescue mission and check some detail about the process to keep you alive. All the rest I know it’s from my father. Your past friendship wasn’t a secret. He kept searching for you after the crash, actually.” 

Steve looked down, but a little smiled turned his face so much softer. 

Tony sighed and moved to look out the window, “So yeah, Fury is not really that much of a problem for you. He just wants to protect Captain America.” 

“Since when I need protection?” 

“Since you woke up? We’re hiding here, just a friendly reminder.” 

A pause. “I ran because I was- because I knew that room wasn’t real.” 

Tony turned around, jumping a bit finding the man right next to him. 

“I never liked lies, and I sure don’t like them after seventy years stuck into the ocean.” He said and handed a tissue to him saying, “You have a cut over your eye.” 

He blinked and took it after a second with a nod, brushing over the little wound. 

Steve sighed, scanning the street outside, “I should go talk with them. With Fury.” 

“You should.” 

“But a part of me doesn't want to.” Steve looked down with a sad expression. 

“Why?” 

“Because I don’t think I want to know what I’ve lost since the crash.” 

Tony stared at him for a moment, still not fully able to believe that the man was there, few centimeters away from him, talking and- awake. “Rogers-“ 

“It’s Steve.” 

“Steve, don’t hate me for this, but I doubt you can ignore it for too long. Unless you’re planning to go back to sleep into an ice cube.” 

The soldier looked at him in silence before closing his eyes, a hand against his head while losing his balance. 

“Woah- easy there, Cap.” Tony grabbed him before he could crash down, but the man wasn’t easy to keep up and he was forced to hug him to help him sit down on the couch. 

“Sorry, I… my head hurts.” He said, breathing hard once sat down. 

Tony studied him for a moment before asking, “Can I?” raising a hand, feeling a pang of affection when Steve nodded without second thoughts- hell, he could have had a knife in hand and he didn’t even looked up at him. Tony placed the hand over his forehead, then checked his wrist, “Cap, how about you try to relax a bit?” 

He looked tiredly at him, “Why you can’t call me Steve?” 

“I don’t know. Feels weird.” 

“Weird?” 

“As if I shouldn’t.” 

Steve frowned a bit, “Why not?” 

“Huh- I don’t know. Starks are weird.” 

Steve huffed a laugh, “Not weird… just a bit overenthusiastic.” 

“Well, that’s a gentle way to say _crazy_ , so my point’s still valid.” Tony looked down at his phone and sighed, looking back at him with a serious expression. 

The soldier didn’t miss it, “What?” 

“I’ll be right back, ok? Don’t move.” 

Steve watched him leave the apartment leaving the door ajar. He took a deep breath, head against the back of the couch, closing his eyes, trying not to think about his past, about all the question that were ready to fall over him like a storm, to drive him insane… what he’d lost- what was still there waiting for him? _I wish I could just stay here forever…_

“Really?” 

Steve blinked awake, watching Tony standing in front of him with a surprised face, “What?” 

“You just want to stay here?” 

The soldier blushed a bit, “Did I say that aloud?” 

“Yes, you did.” 

He sighed, eyes closed again, “My head hurts… I can’t even keep my thoughts in check.” 

“After what you’ve been through, I think that’s the last of your problems.” 

“And what’s the first one?” 

Tony sat next to him, both staring at each other for a moment, “Convince yourself that being awake and alive it’s a good thing?” 

Steve’s light smile slowly faded, “You really know me.” 

“I’m just trying to imagine how you’re feeling right now.” 

“And you’re good at it.” 

“Lots of people say otherwise…” 

Steve was going to say something else, but another flash of pain made him groan and put his head into his hands. 

“Worst?” came Tony’s voice close by. 

“Damn- why it hurts so much?” 

“Because you were supposed to wake up slowly and calmly… come on, lay down.” 

In a moment, Steve was laying on his back on the couch, one hand still through his hair. “You knew about that too? When I was going to wake up?” 

“I knew they were trying to. I had no idea they actually made it.” 

“Tony…” 

“Yeah?” 

“You were talking to someone out there…” Steve looked at him and saw the man sat on the coffee table, staring ashamedly at him. “They find me, isn’t it?” 

Tony nodded, “They knew you could feel sick… and they give me this for your headache.” He said, showing a long and thin box, big just a bit more than his hand. 

“I saw that before… there’s a syringe in there.” It was the same kind of box those agents were using while the chasing him. He looked up and Tony nodded.

“It will help you calm down so they can check if everything is fine in their Captain’s brain.” 

“I don’t want to sleep again…” 

“It won’t be forever. Just the time to be sure your mind is not going to melt in that skull of yours.” 

Steve sighed, looking at the box and then at him again, “You look more worried than me…” 

Tony swallowed and shook his head, “I don’t like this kind of stuff, but they have a point. You’re not going to feel any better for now… this should help you not drowning under your never-ending list of problems. Better face them one at the time.” 

Steve winced at another pang of pain, “And that’s it? Nothing else?” 

“Nothing else. You have my word on it.” 

After another moment of staring, Steve sighed, “Can you do it?” 

Tony moved slightly back, “Me? You want me to…?” 

He nodded and offered his arm, “You said I should know who I can trust… I sure trust you more than them right now.” 

Tony looked at the box, then at his arm and at him. Slowly, he took the syringe out and then took a deep breath. 

“I’ll be out fast?” Steve asked. 

“Y-yeah. I think.” He grabbed his wrist and dragged his arm over his lap, looking at him one last time. The soldier nodded, so Tony moved and emptied the syringe into his skin. “Ok… done.” He said closing the syringe back in the box and throwing it away. 

“Can I ask you another favor?” Steve asked. 

“Whatever you need. Just, don’t ask me to stab you with something else.” 

He smiled a bit, “When I woke up again, can I come talk with you? There’s a lot of things I want to know… and I would like to start with- with something familiar.” 

Tony blinked at him, stunned, but then slowly nodded, keeping a grip on the soldier’s arm still laying on his knees, “Sure. Just- come back to the Tower. It’ll be always open for you, Cap.” 

“Steve.” He sleepily corrected him once again. “Thanks.” He added before closing his eyes. After some minutes, he was asleep. 

Tony keep staring at him, grabbing his arm until S.H.I.E.L.D. agents came in and, after some talk, took the Captain away. 

Outside the building, Tony watched them taking him into a car, and then he saw Natasha Romanoff approaching him. “You’re late. The princess is back to sleep.” He said. 

“I know… and he will be for some time. He wasn’t ready to wake up and run around yet.” She nodded, looking at the car and then back at him, “Who could imagine that the first person he talked to would be you.” 

“He fell on me from the sky. Literally.” 

“And the first thing you thought was to take him away from us.” 

He huffed, “I gave him some time. Your people had freaked him out enough.” 

“You think he won’t next time?” she said with a serious expression, “I don’t think there’s a way to help him not freak out when he’ll wake up. We’ll try, but about this…” 

“He won’t remember anything about today, I know, they told me already.” 

Natasha studied him and for a moment she saw sadness and anger on his face.

Tony shrugged and said, “You know, when I woke up this morning, last thing I thought was that I would’ve met Steve Rogers, helped him running away and the lied to him to give him back to you. What a rollercoaster of a day, huh?” 

She sighed, “If you’ll want to see him-“ 

“I will. One day or another.” He said moving to his car. Hopping on the driver seat, he looked at the S.H.I.E.L.D. vehicle driving away, taking Captain America away with it. Tony stared at it until it disappeared at the end of the road.

_Three months later_

Tony was ready when Fury called for Iron Man to join the fight against Loki. He was always keeping an eye on S.H.I.E.L.D.’ stuff, he knew about some things that probably he shouldn’t have known, but- Tony Stark was a curious man.

Flying into the battlefield, he also knew that he wouldn’t be alone. He knew there were more Avengers there, already fighting, already giving their best… aside Clint, because Clint always needed to mess up everything, on purpose or not. 

When he was getting closer, he threw some sassy greetings to Natasha while rock music was screaming over all the frequencies, because he needed to stop thinking. He needed to stop remembering how he waited for one person to knock at his door during those three months, and how perplexed Pepper was when asking about an unlimited access to basically everywhere in the Stark Tower granted for Steve Rogers. Still, the man never showed up and by now it was clear that that was never going to happen. 

Every thought suddenly stopped when he spotted blue, white and red under the night lights, through people running everywhere and their enemy in front the man. 

He shot Loki away from him and landed hard on the concrete, refusing to look back, keeping his eyes and weapons on the target. “Make your move, Reindeer Games,” He said and, surprisingly, Loki slowly raised his hands in surrender, “Good move.” 

Captain America was there next to him by then. Breathing hard, without looking at him, he said, “Mr. Stark.” 

Tony wasn’t hoping for a miracle... He wasn’t, but damn, if that didn't hurt like a stab in the chest. “Captain.”


End file.
